Print The Pounds and Fanie Chambers…won the ZNA Charity Handicap in 2015

The Zimbabwe National Army will be out in force at Borrowdale Park on Saturday for the running of the 1800m ZNA Charity Handicap where I fancy Eurakilon’s chances – but have to warn you that the last 24 hours have been confusing – to say the least.

Four of the races folded at the Final Acceptance stage. I can imagine the frantic scrambling to re-open these races and well done to everyone concerned for managing to hold it all together.

I wasn’t feeling quite so charitable at 5 pm yesterday.Having spent hours studying weights and draws for the main race, and drawing tentative conclusions, I was disturbed (to put it mildly) to discover I had to more or less start again.

However, all’s well that ends well, and this is the final field:

APPROVAL RATING – Won the 2013 Zimbabwe Guineas over 1600m but the rest of his 11 wins have been over shorter trips. Last time out he won the 1000m ZRP Charity Borrowdale Sprint with Norbert Takawira up, carry 60 kgs, and Takawira rides again on Saturday.

By Miesque’s Approval (USA) out of an Al Mufti (USA) mare the seven-year-old gelding is a class act. However I’m not convinced this is the race for him but I have often been wrong before.

In 2014 he ran a few lengths behind Equina in the 2000m Tankard, conceding weight. He quickly followed up with a third to Equina in the 1800m OK Grand Challenge. He only concedes 0.5 kgs to Eurakilon on Saturday. With firm going it may depend on who handles that best.

In addition to Approval Rating Gokhan Goksel Terziwill also saddle Eurakilon, Newton Power and The Mutineer. Approval Rating carries 60 kgs and is drawn 5.

EURAKILON, a seven-year-old gelding by Classic Flag out of a Western Winter mare, has had 10 starts at Borrowdale. He won the 2000m Breeders Champion Cup (L) in March, beating Print The Pounds, receiving 4.5 kgs, by a length, and next time out won the 1600m Independence Trophy where Saturday’s runners Call Me Earl, Lucky Sam, Print The Pounds and Lava Flow finished behind him.

Terzi’s charge can never be left out of the mix. He contests all the big races and usually finishes in the money. Lance Pagel rides on Saturday and Eurakilon (59.5 kgs) is drawn 3.

NEWTON POWER – After a hat-trick at Borrowdale in 2012 Newton Power crossed the Limpopo, and during his sojourn in South Africa, won twice over 1450m and 1600m. The son of Newton (IRE) was back racing in Zimbabwe by December 2015, and has won two sprints and been consistently placed over the shorter trips.

Newton Power was tenth in the 2016 OK Grand Challenge – the only time he has raced beyond 1600m – and as he was only 2.90 lengths off the winner, Duffi’s Call, he should shape on Saturday.

On September 10 he finished 0.45 lengths behind Approval Rating in the 1000m AFZ Charity Sprint, so no doubts about fitness. The seven-year-old will carry 54.5 kgs, is drawn 6 out of 8. Jarred Samuel rides.

PRINT THE POUNDS won the ZNA Charity Handicap last year, carrying 54 kgs, and is set to carry 53.5 kgs this time. She subsequently won an 1800m MR 88 Handicap, beating Eurakilon, who was giving away 2 kgs, by 0.5 lengths. Next time out she was second to Eurakilon in the 1600m Breeders Champion Cup.

The daughter of AP Answer (USA) was unplaced this year in the Tankard, OK Grand Challenge and the Republic Cup (her stablemates Mathematician and Duffi’s Call hogging most of the limelight).

Print The Pounds (now five) won the Fillies Classic and Zimbabwe Guineas as a three-year-old and is full sister to Duffi’s Call. On Saturday Fanie Chambers will be in the irons and Print The Pounds is drawn 2. She will be meeting Eurakilon on terms which put her in the running, going on previous performances. The mare is trained by Bridget Stidolph who also sends out Lucky Sam.

CALL ME EARL (ZIM) – Locally bred and trained byPenny Fisher Racing, Call Me Earl has won three of his 12 starts from 1200m to 1600m. By Century Stand (AUS), this colt was five lengths behind Mathematician in the Bloodstock SA 2000, at level weights; just behind Eurakilon in the 1600m Independence Trophy when receiving 2 kgs, and 3.15 lengths behind Duffi’s Call in the 1800m OK, when giving her 1.5kgs.

An interesting runner, and Hennie Greyling rides. This colt will carry 54 kgs and is drawn 8.The Fisher yard will also be represented by Lava Flow. The withdrawal of Mathematician means Call Me Earl is the only four-year-old here and he can finish impressively.

LUCKY SAM – a winner of 6 races, including the SA Bloodstock 2000, was at the top of his game as a three-year-old, but has been struggling to regain his earlier form. The six-year-old gelding is by Imperial Stride (GB) out of a Jallad (USA) mare.

Most encouraging run recently was in the Independence Trophy in April when he and Call Me Earl finished hot on the heels of Eurakilon, both receiving 2kgs. Brendon McNaughton, whom I respect, has the ride on Saturday and Lucky Sam, drawn 4 carries 53 kgs. He will receive 1 kg from Call Me Earl and 6.5 kgs from Eurakilon. If back to his best surely not without a prayer.

LAVA FLOW – A five-year-old gelding by Western Winter (USA) out of an Elliodor (FR) mare. He won over 1400m and 1800m in Gauteng and has had six starts at Borrowdale including winning a 1600m Graduation Plate in May, beating Super Good.

He ran in the big three – Tankard, OK and Republic Cup – and was only 2.85 lengths off Duffi’s Call in the OK, at level weights .Can’t be ignored this time….Kevin de Melo rides, carrying 52 kgs and drawn 1.

THE MUTINEER – I can’t help but doubt The Mutineer’s ability over this distance but if one goes back far enough he ran 9.75 lengths behind Eurakilon at the Vaal in April 2014. His two wins in South Africa were over 1400m and 1600m, and at Borrowdale he won a MR 70 Handicap over 1200m.

By Mullins Bay (GB) The Mutineer was 6.75 lengths behind Approval Rating in the 1000m AFZ Charity Borrowdale Sprint on September 10. The seven-year-old gelding will carry 52 kgs, and is drawn 7. Morgan Nyamagwete will be in the irons and has come to the party before on big occasions..

The first race on Saturday is a 1200m Maiden Plate due off at 12.25
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